With the approaching summer season, we discussed some aspects of vector borne diseases mainly, Lyme disease in the last section of the Health Science News Page. Lyme disease (LD) was first widely recognized in 1975 by Old Lyme in Connecticut, USA, and today it results in approximately 30,000 cases per year in the USA and 65-80,000 cases in Europe. However due to misdiagnoses and underreporting, it is thought that the actual number of Lyme disease cases could be close to 300,000. And recently the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the insect borne diseases have tripled in the last decade.

LD is caused by the bacterium of genus Borrelia that is harbored in ticks. Borrelia can be found frequently in small and large mammals, and birds and reptiles on which many ticks feed and mate making them prone to become infected. The ticks that spread LD can sometimes co-transmit other tick-borne pathogens such as Ehrlichia sp., Babesia sp., and Bartonella sp.

Misdiagnosis or late diagnosis is very common in Lyme disease because of multitude of symptoms, including vague flu-like symptoms, headache, and fatigue. Due to lack of specific and reliable laboratory tests, the treatment usually is delayed. Untreated Lyme disease can lead to chronic infection and persistent symptoms such as arthritis, meningitis, inflammation of the heart and other organs. Although early and appropriate antibiotic treatment can alleviate symptoms, the bacteria causing Lyme disease have extremely effective survival strategies within the body and they are able to escape the antibiotic effects.

The most commonly observed method of Lyme disease prevention is using insect repellent and wearing proper clothing in wooded areas and on hiking trails to reduce tick bites. However the most important aspect of prevention is close observation of ticks on the body, and watching out for any alarming signs of rash, swelling or redness anywhere on the body.

Since there is no effective drug treatment or vaccine available to prevent infection and development of Lyme disease, researchers at Dr. Rath Research Institute looked into natural approaches. These strategies are based on simultaneously targeting all forms under which bacteria Borrelia can persist in the human body. We studied the efficacy of 50 naturally occurring phytobiologicals against two species of Borrelia, causing Lyme disease in the USA and Europe. We developed a specific team of micronutrients, phytochemicals and plant extracts, which affects the bacteria but also supports the healthy immune function to help fight infections.

We described the in vitro studies in the last issue of Health Science News Page. The in vivo studies conducted at Dr. Rath Research Institute used the defined nutrient mix in healthy (control group) mice and mice infected with Borrelia. At the end of 4 weeks, it was observed that the infected mice had increased levels of monocytes (a type of white blood cells), which indicates that their immune systems had identified Borrelia as an invading species and reacted accordingly. Borrelia DNA was detected in the mice that were injected but not treated with the nutrient mix. However, mice treated with the nutrient mix had Borrelia DNA reduced by 90%, which shows that the bacteria was almost eradicated. Moreover, infected mice kept on a normal diet had high levels of inflammatory markers, while inflammation in the mice exposed to the nutrient mixture was suppressed. The in vivo test results and success of this approach opens up new possibilities for safe and effective control of Lyme disease, bringing hope for millions of chronic Lyme disease patients.

According to a recent report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), insect-borne diseases in the US have tripled over a period from 2004 through 2016. Ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas are the most common carriers of diseases. These types of biting insects are referred to as vectors. Since 2004, nine additional insect-borne diseases were discovered in the USA. With worldwide weather patterns changing, the longer hotter summer seasons are thought to be one of the leading causes of the increase in vector-borne diseases. Warm weather influences the breeding habits as well as the expansion of the territories of mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Additionally, increased intercontinental travel and reforestation of suburban areas expose more people to insects and wildlife carrying these vectors.

Tick-borne diseases are mainly found in the eastern continental United States and areas along the Pacific coast and account for 3 out of 5 cases of insect-borne diseases in the USA. Lyme disease is the most common disease transmitted by ticks in the USA, with approximately 30,000-35,000 cases per year. However, current statistics reflect only reported cases. The actual numbers are thought to be much higher due to frequent misdiagnosis of the disease and they may be closer to 300,000.

Lyme disease manifests as an inflammatory disease that can affect many organs in the body. In its early stage (localized) Lyme disease affects mainly the skin. In later stages (disseminated and/or persistent) the inflammation spreads to the joints, nervous system and, to a lesser extent, the heart, muscles or other organs.

The human transmission of Lyme disease starts from ticks which feed on blood sucked from humans and animals. A tick becomes infected by pulling bacteria of the genus Borrelia from the infected host which can be either an animal or a human. Borrelia sp. exists in three morphological forms which are: the active forms called spirochetes; and the latent forms called rounded forms and biofilm. These morphological forms allow the bacteria to survive and change even in hostile environments.

There is a common perception that patients treated with antibiotics at the early stages of Lyme disease recover rapidly and completely, and that the later disease stages can also be treated effectively, although recovery is slower. However, in reality, approximately 10-20% (and even up to 50%) of the patients who follow appropriate antibiotic treatment may face significant, persistent or recurrent symptoms of Lyme disease such as joint and/or muscle aches/pains and fatigue. The symptoms can last for months or even years, lowering the patient’s quality of life and making subsequent treatments more difficult to succeed. Long-term antibiotic treatments are often associated with serious side effects and are not recommended by many physicians. The fact that these treatments do not prevent reoccurrence of the disease indicates that antibiotics cannot effectively eliminate or disable these bacteria in the body.

The researchers at the Dr. Rath Research Institute tested 45 natural compounds against two species of Borrelia*: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (the pathogen causing Lyme disease in the USA) and Borrelia garinii (the pathogen causing Lyme disease in Europe). In the tests we included all morphological forms of the two Borrelia species. The results showed that all tested compounds inhibited bacterial growth of the spirochetes. The most effective substances that induced death of the latent rounded forms of Borrelia were cis-2-decenoic acid, rosmarinic acid, baicalein, monolaurin, luteolin, and kelp (iodine). Five of the compounds, baicalein, luteolin, monolaurin, cis-2-decenoic acid, and kelp (iodine), could also reduce the biofilm-like colonies formed by Borrelia burgdorferi, although only baicalein and monolaurin could reduce biofilm formation by Borrelia garinii.

Due to frequent misdiagnosis or late diagnosis, diseases such as Lyme disease can devastate patients and their families, causing significant suffering before being treated. The scientists at the Dr. Rath Research Institute are continuing to explore safe and effective options for addressing Lyme disease.

Lyme disease (LD), also called Borreliosis or Lyme borreliosis, is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Statistics confirm that LD has become the most common vector-borne illness in the USA and Europe, although its occurrence has been documented on all continents except Antarctica.

LD is caused by the bacterium of genus Borrelia that is harbored in ticks. Borrelia can be found frequently in small and large mammals, and birds and reptiles on which many ticks feed and mate making them prone to become infected. The ticks that spread LD can sometimes co-transmit other tick-borne pathogens such as Ehrlichia sp., Babesia sp., and Bartonella sp.

LD is diagnosed based on the symptoms described by a patient, such as flu-like symptoms (including fever, headache, and fatigue), physical signs (e.g., rash and swollen areas on the body), and the results of laboratory testing. Because the symptoms of LD can be diverse and mimic other diseases, and since the laboratory tests are still not 100% reliable, the diagnosis and treatment quite often represent a challenge for clinicians. It is commonly perceived that treatment with appropriate antibiotics assures successful recovery. In reality, LD treatment still faces many challenges as the rate of disease progression and the response of the patient to treatment may vary due to individual predispositions, immune system efficacy, and the very effective survival/adaptive strategies of Borrelia sp. (we addressed this aspect in our previous newsletter).

In a continuous search for effective therapy for LD patients the use of natural, non-toxic treatment still remains an unexplored area. At the Dr. Rath Research Institute we used our pioneering approach of micronutrient synergy in our strategy to find synergistically working natural substances (vitamins and phytochemicals) which could simultaneously target the causes of LD (Borrelia sp.) and restore healthy functions of the body affected by infection (inflammation and body biomarkers).

We tested the efficacy of 45 natural occurring phytobiologicals against two species of Borrelia: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (the pathogen causing Lyme disease in the USA) and Borrelia garinii (the pathogen causing Lyme disease in Europe). In the tests we included all morphological stages of Borrelia (active forms, i.e., spirochetes, and latent forms, i.e., rounded bodies and biofilm). We combined the most effective compounds into one patented formula which displays higher effectiveness than its individual components against Borrelia and the success of this approach opens up new possibilities for safe and effective control of LD, bringing hope for millions of LD patients.

Lyme disease (LD) is the most common vector-borne disease in the USA (approximately 30,000 cases annually) and in Europe (approximately 65,000-80,000 cases annually). However, current statistics reflect only reported cases, and the actual numbers may be even 5-10 times higher due to frequent misdiagnosis of the disease.

Lyme disease manifests itself as an inflammatory disease that can affect many organs in the body. In its early stage (localized) it affects mainly the skin. In later stages (disseminated and chronic) the inflammation spreads to the joints, nervous system and, to a lesser extent, the heart, muscles or other organs.

The human transmission of Lyme disease starts from ticks, which are external insects that feed on blood sucked from humans and animals. The tick becomes infected by pulling bacteria of the genus Borrelia from the infected host (animal, human). Borrelia sp. exists in three morphological forms which allow them to withstand and survive changing and even hostile environments. These are: active form (i.e., spirochetes), and latent forms (i.e., rounded forms and biofilm).

There is a common perception that patients treated with antibiotics at the early stages of Lyme disease recover rapidly and completely, and that the later disease stages can also be treated effectively, although recovery is slower. However, in reality, approximately 10-20% (and even up to 50%) of the patients who follow appropriate antibiotic treatment may face significant, persistent or recurrent symptoms of Lyme disease such as joint and/or muscle aches/pains and fatigue. The symptoms can last for many months or even years, lowering the patient’s quality of life and making subsequent treatments more difficult to succeed. Long-term antibiotic treatments are often associated with serious side effects and not recommended by many physicians. The fact that these treatments do not prevent reoccurrence of the disease indicates that antibiotics cannot effectively eliminate or disable these bacteria in the body.

In search of effective LD therapy, we have tested 45 natural compounds against two species of Borrelia: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (the pathogen causing Lyme disease in the USA) and Borrelia garinii (the pathogen causing Lyme disease in Europe) taking into consideration all their morphological forms. The results have shown that all tested compounds inhibited bacterial growth of spirochetes. The most effective substances that induced death of latent rounded forms of Borrelia were cis-2-decenoic acid, rosmarinic acid, baicalein, monolaurin, luteolin, and kelp (iodine). Five of the compounds, baicalein, luteolin, monolaurin, cis-2-decenoic acid, and kelp (iodine), could also reduce biofilm-like colonies formed by Borrelia burgdorferi, although only baicalein and monolaurin could reduce biofilm formation by Borrelia garinii. The details of our work can be viewed in our publication in the Journal of Applied Microbiology 2015.